Winner of Differdange (2-0), the oldest club snatched a support match while Mondercange validated its good end to the season with a rescue.
The Fola offered himself a final reprieve when we didn’t give much of his skin at the dawn of a completely crazy last day. The oldest club had to distance itself from the reigning champion and hope that Mersch did not win at Rosport to give itself one last chance to stay among the elite.
By playing with fire, Fola seemed charred after his severe defeat at Mondorf the previous day. On the razor’s edge since the start of the championship, the oldest club had experienced several ups and downs but the last step seemed far too high. It was a misunderstanding of the power of resilience of the Eschois placed on the right track from the start thanks to defender Tshitoku who exploited a long free kick from Diallo poorly negotiated by Jorginho (1-0, 2e).
It was the defenders’ day at the Stade Mayrisch as it was Tawaba who doubled the numbers with a header from a corner delivered by Diallo. The rest was more a story of resistance and wasted opportunities for Differdange who did not hold back to celebrate his title in the evening in the City of Iron.
The joy of the Eschois was double when Rosport secured its victory against Mersch, sending the Northerners to Promotion d’Honneur a year after their rise. Redekop and El Idrissi made the difference in the last 20 minutes.
Strassen potentially European
The Sûre club, for its part, had made part of the way towards a potential European qualification still on hold due to appeals lodged by Swift and Jeunesse, but in the end, it missed a goal at Victoria to pass Strassen in the ranking. FC Una sweated profusely after losing 0-2 at Hesperange but it is preparing to write the first chapter of its continental history if CLAS rejects the clubs in the licensing affair.
The other club which will have to go through a final to maintain itself is Käerjéng. The late awakening of UNK in Mondercange was not enough to catch up and by force of circumstances overtake a more convincing opponent during the first 45 minutes at the end of which they led two goals to nothing. Reducing the score will have served no purpose.
It remained to clarify things on the lower floor and wait for the verdict of the draw to have a more precise idea of the support matches scheduled in the coming days. What was already known is that Bettembourg and Rodange will be playing in the big leagues in a few weeks. For the Chiers club, this is not a discovery. He has been taking the elevator regularly for half a dozen years. Sporting had to wait 51 years to taste the limelight again. The icing on the cake is that he has been champion since this Sunday. Tracked for a good part of the season by a pack also attracted by promotion, the two clubs gave a boost at the right time to outdistance everyone in a division as indecisive as ever. It remains to be seen who will accompany them on the weekend of August 4 for the opening of the new season. Rumelange and Hostert, respectively third and fourth in the championship, offered themselves a support match to move up. They will face Fola on Sunday and Käerjéng on Friday respectively.
Medernach and Grevenmacher are relegated to Division 1. Weiler and Lorentzweiler will play a play-off to maintain their position.
